Kira Chathli And Grace Harris Guide London Spirit To A Dominating Win Over Birmingham Phoenix

The Hundred Women’s 2025 delivered its most emphatic storyline yet when London Spirit, the reigning champions, dismantled Birmingham Phoenix in a manner that left fans at Lord’s stunned and rivals on notice. The margin of victory—88 runs—was the largest ever recorded in the women’s edition of the competition, underlining both Spirit’s ruthless efficiency and Phoenix’s disastrous campaign.

For Spirit, this was more than just another win. It was a statement performance, reaffirming their credentials as the frontrunners to defend their crown. For Phoenix, however, it was the nail in the coffin of a season that promised much on paper but has unraveled into one of frustration and disappointment.

The Foundation: Chathli and Harris Light Up Lord’s

Every dominant performance has a turning point, and for Spirit, it came from the bats of Kira Chathli and Grace Harris.

Kira Chathli’s Breakthrough Knock

Opening the innings, Kira Chathli produced her finest innings in The Hundred to date. She scored a blistering 69 from just 35 balls, a knock studded with 13 boundaries that sent the Phoenix fielders scurrying all over the iconic outfield at Lord’s.

Chathli’s innings was not just about runs; it was about intent. From the first over, she demonstrated a clarity of purpose—punishing anything short, leaning into drives, and manipulating the field with surgical precision. Her strike rate of 197 showcased not only her aggression but also her ability to dominate top-quality bowling attacks.

Grace Harris: The Finisher in Chief

While Chathli anchored the assault, Grace Harris added fireworks. Walking in with the Spirit innings at a delicate juncture—two early wickets down—Harris wasted no time in swinging momentum back in her team’s favor. Her 15-ball 34, including four massive sixes, transformed the innings from competitive to commanding.

Together, Chathli and Harris added 47 runs from just 21 deliveries, effectively breaking Phoenix’s spirit before the halfway stage of the innings. Harris has now amassed 199 runs in the tournament at a staggering strike rate of 180, cementing her status as the heartbeat of Spirit’s middle order.

Phoenix’s Early Hope: Em Arlott Strikes Back

Despite the eventual carnage, the Phoenix did enjoy moments of promise in the powerplay. Em Arlott, the right-arm seamer, struck twice to remove Georgia Redmayne and Cordelia Griffith, giving Phoenix an early foothold.

Arlott’s 3-wicket haul brought her level with Lauren Bell as the joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 10 wickets. Her ability to swing the new ball and attack the stumps has been a rare bright spot in what has otherwise been a dismal campaign for Phoenix.

But cricket is a game of partnerships, and once Chathli and Harris launched their counterattack, the Phoenix bowlers lost their lengths and lines. From there, Spirit cruised to an imposing total of 164, a score that looked beyond reach even before Phoenix began their chase.

Phoenix’s Chase Collapses in Chaos

If Spirit’s batting was clinical, their bowling was ruthless. Phoenix’s reply never got going, undone by a combination of disciplined pace bowling and clever spin variations.

Early Breakthroughs

Within the first 33 balls, Phoenix had slumped to three wickets down. The top order—supposedly their strength—crumbled under pressure. The high-profile Australian duo of Ellyse Perry and Georgia Voll failed to reach double figures, leaving their side staring at an uphill climb.

Issy Wong’s Resurgence

The standout performer with the ball was Issy Wong, who has endured a stop-start international career but continues to impress in franchise cricket. Wong bowled with hostility and discipline, mixing up her pace smartly to finish with key wickets and strangle Phoenix’s already faltering chase. Her performance will undoubtedly strengthen her case for a regular England spot in the months ahead.

Bex Tyson’s Control

Alongside Wong, Bex Tyson, the left-arm spinner, choked the middle overs. She extracted turn from the surface, varied her flight, and dismissed key batters to ensure Phoenix never threatened a comeback.

By the halfway stage, Phoenix were effectively out of the contest, and the chase meandered to a tame conclusion. Bowled out for a meager total, the Phoenix finished 88 runs short—a margin that set a new record in the women’s competition.

A Season of Struggle: Phoenix’s Painful Reality

For Birmingham Phoenix, this loss epitomized their 2025 campaign. A squad boasting names like Ellyse Perry, Amy Jones, and Georgia Voll was expected to be competitive, if not title-challenging. Instead, their campaign has been plagued by:

Batting Failures: They have managed just one individual fifty all season—Emma Lamb’s solitary bright spot. The rest of the lineup has lacked application and firepower.
Over-reliance on Bowlers: While Arlott has excelled, the rest of the attack has struggled for consistency, often leaking runs in the death overs.
Lack of Momentum: With only four points from five matches, their playoff hopes are virtually extinguished.

For Phoenix fans, it has been a bitter pill to swallow. This was a team assembled with promise but undone by a combination of poor form and questionable decision-making under pressure.

Spirit’s Title Defense Gathers Steam

While Phoenix lick their wounds, London Spirit march on. This victory propels them to joint-top of the table alongside Southern Brave, with a superior net run rate giving them the edge.

Leadership Under Charlie Dean

Captain Charlie Dean deserves credit for managing her resources effectively. Against Phoenix, she not only rotated her bowlers astutely but also chipped in with two key wickets, including that of England teammate Amy Jones. Her calm leadership and ability to contribute with both bat and ball have been crucial to Spirit’s campaign.

The Formula for Success

Spirit’s strength lies in their balance:

Explosive top order (Chathli’s rise and Harris’s consistency).
Wicket-taking bowlers (Wong’s pace, Tyson’s spin).
Strong leadership (Dean’s tactical nous).

This combination makes them the most rounded unit in the competition. And with form peaking at the right time, rivals like Brave, Invincibles, and Fire will be wary of facing them in the knockout stages.

Historical Context: A Record-Breaking Win

The 88-run victory was not just significant in the context of this season—it was historic. It eclipsed the previous record margin in the women’s competition, underlining Spirit’s dominance.

Spirit’s 164 was built on power-hitting and partnerships.
Phoenix’s collapse highlighted the gulf in class between the two sides on the day.
The margin itself serves as a warning shot to the rest of the league: Spirit are back, and they mean business.

Key Takeaways from the Clash

Kira Chathli’s Coming of Age
- Her 69 (35) was not just runs; it was a declaration of her arrival as a genuine match-winner.
Grace Harris is the X-Factor
- Few players in the women’s game can turn matches in such short bursts. Harris’s ability to clear the ropes makes her indispensable.
Phoenix’s Batting Crisis
- Until they fix their fragile batting, Phoenix will continue to languish. Even world-class bowlers can’t compensate for totals that are 30–40 runs short.
Spirit’s Depth and Balance
- Every successful team has match-winners across departments. Spirit have at least five in form, making them the most complete team this season.

Looking Ahead

For London Spirit, the path ahead looks promising. They face crucial fixtures against other playoff contenders, but with form on their side, they have the momentum to carry them through. Another title tilt looks not only possible but probable.

For Birmingham Phoenix, it’s a time for reflection. With playoff hopes dashed, they must use the remaining fixtures to rebuild confidence, test bench strength, and salvage pride. The franchise will likely face tough questions about recruitment, strategy, and leadership at season’s end.

At Lord’s, on a day when the sun shone bright and the crowd buzzed with anticipation, the reigning champions delivered a performance for the ages. London Spirit’s 88-run demolition of Birmingham Phoenix was not just about points or net run rate—it was a statement.

A statement that Spirit are peaking at the perfect time.
A statement that their rivals will have to raise their game to compete.
And a statement that The Hundred 2025 could once again belong to them.

For Phoenix, meanwhile, the story is one of what might have been—a campaign undone by inconsistency and frailty.

As the tournament edges toward its climax, one thing is clear: London Spirit are the team to beat.

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